Over the weekend, Sheffield Wednesday suffered yet another home defeat, this time at the hands of Oxford United. The loss came amid a challenging period for the Owls, with several key players nursing injuries. Ahead of the game, manager Danny Röhl disclosed that as many as six senior squad members were dealing with fitness concerns, and the matchday lineup reflected this uncertainty. Notably, Barry Bannan, Michael Smith, and Olaf Kobacki were all absent from the squad.
During the game, substitutions followed a similar pattern, as players like Stuart Armstrong and Yan Valery—both of whom had been performing well—were taken off with their physical condition in mind. Röhl later addressed Bannan’s absence, revealing that the midfielder’s ankle injury appeared serious. He also acknowledged the intense workload Bannan has endured over the past 18 months, having featured regularly throughout that period.
As for Smith and Kobacki, Röhl explained in an interview with The Star that although both were technically available, the decision was made to rest them and give opportunities to other squad members. “I made the decision on Smudge and Olaf,” he said. “They had small issues, but I thought it was best to bring in players like Charlie and Ike. It’s part of managing the squad and rotating minutes.”
Röhl went on to emphasize the need for higher standards across the team. He highlighted the importance of intensity, particularly in pressing and attacking play, and suggested that some players still need to push themselves harder. “You can’t just press once,” he said. “It wasn’t good enough from our side, and the expectations are higher. We have to show more.”
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